Mike Skinner has opened up about his battles with mental health when The Streets were at the height of their fame.
“Every day in The Streets was scary because you feel totally out of control,” he told Q Magazine. “Anxiety, paranoia and general fear. That’s what my 20s were like. Whereas my 30s were closer to depression.”
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The rapper and producer continued: “You try and push yourself through this feeling of existential depression. I’m not trying to say one is worse than the other. It just feels different.”
Skinner also said that his role as a father helped him to manage his anxieties. “With kids, you can’t really get anxious. You never hear of parents getting mentally ill over their kids, do you?
“Like, they might become alcoholics. And fat. And get divorced. But you still have to hold it together if you are going to stick at the parenting game.”
The Streets last released music in the form of a Flohio collaboration ‘How Long’s It Been’, which appeared in summer.
Though the band haven’t released a new album since 2011’s ‘Computers And Blues’, The Streets returned with the single ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ ahead of a reunion tour last year and have sporadically released new material since then.
For help and advice on mental health:
- ‘Am I depressed?‘ – Help and advice on mental health and what to do next
- Help Musicians UK – Around the clock mental health support and advice for musicians
- Music Support Org – Help and support for musicians struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues
- YOUNG MINDS – The voice for young people’s health and wellbeing
- CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably for young men
- Time To Change – Let’s end mental health discrimination
- The Samaritans – Confidential support 24 hours a day